An employment tribunal in Glasgow is examining whether Rockstar Games, the developer of Grand Theft Auto, unlawfully dismissed 31 employees for trade union activity. Dayne Oram, a former worker, told the tribunal on Friday that he believed employees were placed on a “watch list” after a petition regarding remote working was sent to leadership in 2023.
Rockstar Games disputes these claims, asserting that Mr Oram and his colleagues were dismissed for gross misconduct due to the sharing of confidential company information, not for trade union membership or activity. The company's representative, Thomas Cordrey, suggested that rules requiring employees to be “professional and constructive” in a company Discord forum were “routinely broken.”
Mr Oram was involved in setting up and moderating the Discord forum, which was used by approximately 300 Rockstar employees. He acknowledged that discussions on the forum could “get a bit out of hand.” The tribunal heard examples of disparaging remarks about the company and management posted on the forum.
The case is expected to continue for about six weeks, with testimony from Rockstar Games witnesses scheduled for October. The company is also in discussions with current workers regarding official union recognition before the release of Grand Theft Auto VI on 19 November.